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Re: Ex Occidente Press
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Dear all,
A belated update. With the three new volumes out yesterday there are now six new books published in less than two months. If I stop here Satan would weep with six eyes, so I'll better keep the pace in the next months as well. Which is definitely my very intention, to the fury and the twitching fortune-telling of certain gents and ladies. Fits of vertigo and moral terror to them, I say. As my anti-modern cell phone's camera testify [apologies for the bad quality], The Mascarons of the Late Empire & Other Studies by Mark Valentine, The Wounds of Exile by Reggie Oliver and Tenebrous Tales by Christopher Barker are now in stock and shipping. A fourth volume was supposed to be released this week but alas, a few serious problems appeared with the printing and the folio design. The fourth book I am speaking about is George Berguno's collection of stories from a Dead Europe, The Sons of Ishmael. That aside, I hope you will find pleasing and interesting the direction and the aesthetics of the Passport Levant volumes. There are quite a few titles from this new imprint coming up in the next weeks, starting with Stephen J. Clark delicate occult paean to Austin Osman Spare, The Satyr and ending with the bewildering revelation of Sir Colin Insole and his tongue-tying Oblivion's Poppy, a work which comes with my fullest recommendation. Two other Passport Levant titles are to be announced on the site a bit later today. Keep an eye on Passport Levant is all I can say. A few words about The Master in Cafe Morphine: A Homage to Mikhail Bulgakov now. I apologize for the lack of originality but I am going to say the exact things I've said to those who gently asked me about it en private, for which I thank them. I am afraid the homage to the Apocalyptic Russian will not see the light of our eyes until mid September. Bluntly put, the book is immense. At almost 2.5 kg, this is not a tome to be treated lightly. In the past month we have been trying a lot of formats and versions of packing, paper materials, textures and so on. I can at least say that the book will not be released in the classical Ex Occidente Press house format, but in a rather more special style. Some of you know by now that The Master in Cafe Morphine will come veiled in a decorated silk banner. Just one of the many unholy flags of Sathanas. And that's all I am saying for now. I do know that the waiting time will be worthy and I will make sure you will agree with me once the volume will be out. What about The Impossible Inferno of Mr. Hughes [Hugh Iris perhaps?] and The Last Balcony of D.F. Lewis? Are they going to be published at all? You see, this peculiar kind of paranoia is also over-excitable. Don't fall into that trap. The short answer: not only that they are going to be released by Ex Occidente Press but I also aim to make them one of the finest volumes I will publish. Being such massive tomes, however, we look for a late Autumn MMX release date for both. An Emporium of Automata of D.P. Watt, The 'Star' Ushak of Louis Marvick, The Old Knowledge of Rosalie Parker and Purlieus - not sure if this is the final title, though - of Quentin S. Crisp are also all on tracks. Final details about each of these will be posted on the site by the very end of this month. On a very different note now, I am certain there are not many of you who care about the following part but for those few who asked me details on the story behind the name of The Little Black Girl of the Danube, I think this July night is a good time to reveal a bit of its history. I cant guarantee this is the true story of the name, anyway. The Little Black Girl of the Danube is in fact Franzel the Negress, a forgotten but graceful tale by Hermann Schmid. The story takes place in about 1813, and is set among the actors in the theatre of the watermen of Laufen. The heroine, Franzel, is a daughter of the Napoleonic Wars, and to be precise of a negro - trumpeter in the Emperor's armies - and a German girl. The story tells of her difficulties because of her colour, her vocation for the theatre - which has no time for her - of her love for a boy, an actor who writes her a play, The Queen of Sheba, in which she triumphs just because she is black. Intrigues separate the lovers, the buy betrays her but repents, sends her away and then follows her all the way down to the Lower Danube near the Turkish frontier. He marries her and returns with her to Laufen. The story has few pretensions, but the intuition of that Swabian actor who, out of love for his black beloved, invents the tale of the black Queen of Sheba, exposes the whole savage shallowness of racism. The wind bloweth where it listeth, and no one can be forever certain of their own gifts or their own shortcomings. The apocalyptic tone in which the great Celine speaks of the "little idyll between your white maid and your black postman" is, intellectually speaking, a step lower than this story by Herman Schimd, who otherwise has been justifiably forgotten. This stupendous cruel tale of Danube comes from a wonderful artsy travelogue book called Danube, by a sophisticated gentleman and poet, Claudio Magris. So where is the link between The Black Girl of the Danube and Hermann Schmid forgotten tale? I never said there is a link between them. Finally - two whole weeks of packing and shipping parcels are coming up. Those who are still waiting for back orders, worry not, I finally have about thirteen days ahead of sending packages and nothing else. That should be all for now, I think. One more of these dank black cigarettes and then back to work, before this July night is over. Kind Bruno Schulz said it wonderfully: "No one has ever charted the topography of a July night. It remains unrecorded in the geography of one's inner cosmos. A night in July! What can be likened to it? How can one describe it? Shall I compare it to the core of an enormous black rose, covering us with the dreams of hundreds of velvety petals? The night winds blow open its fluffy center, and in its scented depth we can see the stars looking down to us." But about Bruno we will talk more soon.... Thank you for your time and apologies for the lengthy message. Regards, D.T. Ghetu |
Re: Ex Occidente Press
Thank you for the lengthy update Dan! Things are looking very exciting for Ex Occidente Press indeed! :)
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Re: Ex Occidente Press
Helllo,
I am new to this thread and rather new to Ex Occidente. I did order the wonderful The Nightfarers by Mark Valentine. Based on that unequivocal success, I preordered, The Master in Cafe Morphine, but it never showed. Several emails sent to Dan one or two replies mention delays and what not... Has anyone received this title? I would love to order a Passport Levant title or two, but I am very hesitant considering this item never showed. Best, Robert |
Re: Ex Occidente Press
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I agree The Nightfarers is a beautiful book, one of the best collections of weird fiction published in modern times I think. The Master in Cafe Morphine has been delayed due to varius changes in style and printer. Here's what Dan had to say about it. Quote:
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Re: Ex Occidente Press
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The post by Nigromontanus two posts before your own tells about the delays. There is some discussion on shipping problems earlier in the thread; as regards my own experiences with Ex Occidente, they have only been extremely positive. |
Re: Ex Occidente Press
Thank you for the quick reply and my apologies for not looking further. I am find the layout of these forums a bit confusing.
I have one more question. Does anyone have any ideas about the price of the collection titled, " It looks like it includes a soon to be published Valentine title, plus some additional works. Best, Robert |
Re: Ex Occidente Press
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The Wounds of Exile The Mascarons of the Late Empire & Other Stories The Defeat of Grief The Ten Dictates of Alfred Tesseller Oblivion's Poppy The Satyr |
Re: Ex Occidente Press
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Re: Ex Occidente Press
I never have an issue with the posts. Perhaps you could try switching to "linear mode" (using the "display modes" option at top right). Posts then appear chronologically in one single thread per topic. Easy to follow, I think.
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Re: Ex Occidente Press
It's not a big deal for me anymore, just a mild surprise every time. When not logged in, the latest post in a thread is always on the last page, but when logged in, the ordering of the posts in a thread are "switched around". It just takes some time getting used to, I think.
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